MBTA May Up T Fare if Bill Goes Down

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is anticipating a potential 30 percent increase in fares for T rides if the Governor’s transportation reform bill does not pass, according to an MBTA spokesman.

The bill includes a proposed 19-cent increase to the state gas tax that would help stave off the MBTA’s projected $161 million deficit in the next fiscal year.

MBTA Spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said that while there was no specific proposal for the exact amount the fares would be raised, the price of an individual T-ride might increase from $1.70 on a Charlie Card to $2.21.

“We’ve said repeatedly that without some help to deal with our budget deficit, we’ll have to close the deficit gap down by raising fares or closing services,” Pesaturo said. “If the legislature does approve the bill, then there would be no need to raise fares.”

The MBTA’s primary source of revenue comes from the state sales tax, which has generated far less this year than predicted.

“We’re okay this fiscal year, but without the projected revenue come next July, there’s just a huge deficit we will have trouble making up,” Pesaturo said.

T riders expressed concern over the buzz surrounding the possible increase in ride prices.

“My work reimburses me, but even if [fares] don’t impact me directly, it really stinks that it might go up and up and up,” said Dallas R. Menard, who was adding money to his Charlie Card at the Harvard Square T station yesterday.

“I mean, it was only 85 cents not so long ago,” he said.

The MBTA raised its rates in 2004 and again in 2007 to much chagrin from frequent passengers. In the summer of 2008, the MBTA board announced that there would be no fare increases until 2010 at the earliest.

Lisa M. O’Loughlin, who was entering the Harvard Square station yesterday, said that the repeated rise in ride fares has made her question the MBTA’s management of its budget.

“I follow all the news, and if their ridership hasn’t gone down as they say even though gas prices have, I want to know where all that increased ridership income is going,” she said. “The waste that is going on is unfortunate and unnecessary.”

According to Pesaturo, subway ridership dropped 2.9 percent in January.

Harvard offers a subsidy to eligible employees to purchase public transit passes from the MBTA, and there has been no word so far from the University that increased fares would change these benefits.

—Staff writer Shan Wang can be reached at wang38@fas.harvard.edu.